Enjoyable read! Loved the characters and is perfect for any book lover! Cute romance and a quick, easy read!

Book People by Jackie Ashenden was just the perfect rom-com!
This heartwarming, sexy, fun novel kept me laughing throughout. I look forward to reading more rom coms from this author.
This book, honestly had me giddy, I went into this completely blind, had no idea what was going to happen and I’m so glad I did because it was amazing!

Ce roman avait tous les ingrédients pour me plaire : une petite ville, deux libraires rivaux ...
Pourtant, je n'ai pas du tout réussi à accrocher, j'ai pris en grippe le perso masculin dès le début, et après une semaine à être bloquée à 27%, je préfère abandonner, malheureusement.

An interesting book for sure, this is quite a change in story telling for Ms.Ashenden. I have read many of her romances and they all were great stories so as I started this, I was not prepared for a quiet small town women’s fiction genre book. And for me, I had to make myself settle in and find the story, which I did and found myself really rooting for Sebastian and Kate. Theirs was a difficult romance as they both felt they were unworthy of each other, and Sebastian was as closed off as I have ever read a character to be, but their love finally won out. I definitely enjoyed this read.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I have enjoyed many reads from this author, so when this became available on Netgalley, I grabbed it!

The dynamic of Sunshine and Grump energy between these two is entertaining. The rivalry between the booksellers in the small town is an intriguing premise, but it’s soon revealed that there’s a more substantial problem underlying their initial disagreement. The story’s engaging and addictive nature comes from the interwoven, unsettling events that impact both Kate and Sebastian’s lineage and themselves, and the undeniable chemistry and attraction to each other.

I really enjoyed this author’s portrayal of a brooding, damaged alpha male. The mystery of C and H and Sebastian’s struggle with happiness were both fascinating to unravel.

The story’s many twists and turns were thoroughly entertaining, and I adored the happy ending. I recommend this book, and other works from this talented author. I received a free ARC and happily leave my review.

Book People
Jackie Ashenden

“As I said, it’s a literary festival.”
“Books are literature,” I snap.
“Not all books,” he says, patiently.

This was such a fun and light hearted rom com. Two competing bookstores and their owners in this quaint English town. Their whole hearted love and passion towards books demonstrates the transformative power books contain.

‘So I swallow down my hurt, keeping my smile as a shield between him and me. Good thoughts. Good thoughts.’

Features;
- [ ] Rivals
- [ ] Enemies to lovers
- [ ] Forced proximity
- [ ] Grumpy-sunshine
- [ ] Small town setting

“Okay, turn down the volume on the alpha werewolf vibes,”

Book People is released today, January 28th.

‘Perhaps I should have been born in an earlier time, at an earlier date, when duels were acceptable.”

“Come on. Let’s have a cup of tea and discuss how we’re going to get Sebastian Blackwood to pick up his sword and head the fuck into battle.”

i was so so excited for this book, the idea of two rival bookstore owners falling in love was such a beautiful story to me, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

i found myself liking kate’s character, nothing stood out to me necessarily but she was a bright, enjoyable character. sadly, i was put off by sebastian immediately in the first chapter. i didn’t like how he spoke to kate about the books she was selling but i know this was because he wanted to dislike her, so i let it slide. but then he just fell completely flat for me. he kept going on and on about his family being “cursed” and using that as a reason not to open himself up and i didn’t enjoy reading about this.

the romance between kate and sebastian went 0 to 100. he kissed her and then it was like they were in love but then they’d go back to being standoffish. it was a constant back and forth and on top of this, he wouldn’t call her by her name, instead calling her “miss jones” basically the entire book. it just felt like there was a barrier up between them the entire time even during cuter scenes.

the little side mystery we had going on was very predictable and i guessed it easily but i do have to say, the story between these two characters was much more intriguing than the main plot/romance between the main characters. i honestly wish i got a full story on this side mystery alone.

thank you to netgalley, headline, and the author for this arc.

This book has me conflicted because there were so many things about this book that I liked. The writing style was enjoyable and flowed effortlessly. Kate the FMC was lovely and strong, she grew as a character throughout the book and her book shop is a place I would go if it existed in real life. The small towns and all the secondary characters were also really fun. Finally, the plot was really good, two rival booksellers planning a festival together as well as finding out about their families pasts all while falling in love.

Where I struggled was with the MMC, Sebastian. I understand why he was so hesitant to have a relationship with Kate and why he was afraid based on the role models in his life. The problem is in how he treated Kate and hurt her repeatedly even if he didn’t want to. I felt like they were at odds more than they were happy together and you only got snapshots of how good they could be together. The final conflict had me gutted and the ending was good but I felt like I didn’t get to see them happy enough as a couple. I liked the book overall but I do wish the dynamic between the two main characters was a bit less disappointing.

An intense, stuffy, closed off emotionally bookseller has his life flipped upside down when a sunshiny, effervescent newbie bookseller opens a shop opposite his!

Kate fled from London after her mother died and her boyfriend showed his narcissistic colours. She loves the thought of opening a bookshop in the building that once housed her family's café. But Sebastian, the snobby bookseller already established in Wychwood, is not making life easy for her and she has had enough when she learns he's frozen her out of a book festival he's organising!

Kate is like walking sunshine compared to Sebastian's gloomy, brooding demeanour. He's living under a family "curse" and he's determined to avoid the fate of his forebears - but that means swearing off love.

OOh these two are like oil and water! Kate is determined to make a success of her business and uses all the modern social media platforms to get information to her readers. Bas however is stuck in an intellectual (and pricey) books only loop. Seb really was an acquired taste to begin with - his attitude really did need a major adjustment. His one saving grace is his friendship with gp buddy and that inconvenient, intense attraction to Kate. But are they the first star crossed lovers the town has seen?

I loved the mystery of the love letters and finding out what had happened to their authors. Kate was never meek and mild and stood up for herself but she was also prone to not fighting for what she wants!

I would have loved a longer epilogue, or a second one, showing Seb and Kate in the future - how they've melded their lives and businesses together, But otherwise it was a great bookish romance read.

Book People is a fun, if not entirely original, rom-com. The two main characters are strongly constructed off of tropes, and while I appreciate the backstories that give more nuance to their behavior, I wish the author would have done more to give their personalities some surprise aspects. But if you're looking to escape, especially into a world of fellow book lovers, you'll probably enjoy this.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. What reader wouldn't want to immerse themselves in a world where two bookstore owners fall in love? Sadly, this book fell short. I didn't feel the connection between Kate and Sebastian. After the conflict, I hoped for more, but it ended quickly, and there wasn't an epilogue. I was just left wanting more.

I liked the setting of the story. The small town and supporting characters were cute and enjoyable. I liked the dual POV of the main characters. The book started to get a little bit repetitive for me. Sebastian especially was frustrating at times and towards the end I almost didn't want him to get the girl. The tension was good and the whole history of the families was an interesting plot as well.

⭐️ 3/5

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

I was really excited to read this book, especially since enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and the premise had so much potential!

The beginning was cute and quite funny, and I enjoyed the rivalry between them. I really liked that the FMC, Kate, definitely held her ground against the more grumpy MMC, Sebastian.

However, as the story progressed, I felt like it lost a bit of its momentum. The character motivations seemed to shift in a way that didn't quite have the depth I was hoping for, and I found myself wishing for a bit more development to keep the intrigue high towards the end.

I really enjoyed this book it was nice and easy to read and although I loved the subplot of the letters it was confusing at the start of every chapter for the first 25% of the book. I can’t wait to see the art work that goes in at the end of each chapter

A book about books and bookstores? I was so ready to fall in love with Book People. Unfortunately, while the premise had promise, the execution left me feeling a little... underwhelmed.

What I Loved

Let’s start with the good stuff! I’m always a sucker for a story set in a bookstore, and Book People absolutely delivers on that front. The atmosphere, the love of literature woven throughout, and the charm of bookish characters—it’s the kind of setting that makes any book lover feel right at home.

There were also moments that really worked. The exploration of grief, trauma, and personal growth added depth to the story. The FMC's journey, in particular, had some touching moments that made me empathise with her struggle to move forward. I also appreciated the themes of family expectations and legacy, even if they were a little heavy-handed at times.

What Fell Flat

Now, the romance. This was supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers story, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. The tension that makes this trope so compelling was missing, and instead, we got a dynamic that felt... off.

The MMC? Honestly, a bit of a wanker. He’s self-absorbed, stuck in his own head, and completely fixated on his family history as if it dictates his entire existence. While I can appreciate a character struggling with their past, his attitude made it hard to root for him as a love interest. He lacked the charm or growth to balance out his more frustrating traits.

Then there’s the FMC, who is understandably traumatised from a previous relationship. While her struggles were valid and made sense for her character, they sometimes overshadowed the romance. There were sections where I found myself skimming because her internal monologue felt repetitive. It’s important to represent trauma in a meaningful way, but in this case, it slowed the pacing and made certain parts drag.

Final Thoughts

Book People had all the ingredients for a cosy, bookish romance, but it didn’t quite come together the way I’d hoped. If you love books about books, it might still be worth picking up but don’t expect a top-tier enemies-to-lovers romance. The setting was lovely, and there were some good emotional beats, but the lack of chemistry and frustrating character dynamics kept this from being a standout read for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A decent read, but not a favourite.

Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for an eArc of this book; my thoughts and opinions are my own.

I found this just such a perfect, cozy read for the deep cold that we recently had. I loved the idea of two rival bookshops filling completely different niches. The two main characters, Kate and Sebastian, had a lot of depth. I loved the parallel story running through the book of their great-grandparents. As a kiwi, I was excited to see the book was written by a fellow kiwi and loved the nudges to New Zealand.

After a breakup, Kate starts a bookshop in a building she has inherited in the small town of Wychtree. Her shop is opposite another bookshop that sells a completely different type of books and focuses on a different clientele. The owner of said bookshop, Sebastian, seems to dislike her, for reasons Kate can’t figure out.

"Book People" by Jackie Ashenden is perfect for those who love books about books. The romantic and sexual tension between rival bookstore owners is definitely engaging.
The pacing was a bit slow at times, and the characters could have benefited from a little more development. Overall, this was a light, heartwarming read. I can definitely say I learned a few new words!

Book People by Jackie Ashenden is a cosy, funny rom-com that’s perfect for book lovers. Picture You’ve Got Mail but with more tea, grumpy blokes, and a dash of small-town charm.

Kate, the cheerful bookseller who loves romance novels, and Sebastian, the uptight owner of the posh bookshop across the street, are a classic enemies-to-lovers pair. Their banter is sharp and hilarious, and the slow-burn tension between them is delicious. The small-town setting is so quaint you can practically smell the old books and hear the gossipy locals.

That said, Sebastian’s grumpiness can be a bit over-the-top at times, and the ending feels a tad rushed, Still, it’s a fun, feel-good read with plenty of heart and just enough spice to keep things interesting. If you’re after something light, funny, and bookish, this one’s worth a go—just don’t expect Pride and Prejudice levels of depth.

Thank you Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book early!

I loved the premise of this book when I first read it but unfortunately it fell a bit flat.

I enjoyed the plot for the most part and seeing Sebastian and Kate get their happy ending but I can’t really get over Sebastian’s attitude for the first part of the book. I completely get some hostility but he was borderline insufferable with his rudeness towards Kate before he got to know her.

Unfortunately not the book for me.

Thanks to Headline Eternal and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.